3 matches will be played in T20 series between India and ZimbabweImage Credit source: BCCI
The beginning of the captaincy journey was not good for Shreyas Iyer. Under the leadership of Iyer, who did wonders with his captaincy in the IPL, Team India had to face defeat in 2 consecutive T20 series. The defeat is also not like that, but it is very clean. First the upset at the hands of Ireland and then the defeat at the hands of England. In such a situation, now the challenge for Team India and Iyer is to regain their lost respect, which they will try to achieve in Zimbabwe. Along with this, there will also be a challenge for Team India to regain its number-1 rank.
The T20 series between India and Zimbabwe is starting in Harare from Thursday 23rd July. 3 matches will be played in this series, which is one more than the Ireland tour and 2 matches less than the England series. But the issue is not how many matches are more or less. The issue is whether Team India will be able to break the streak of defeat in 6 out of the last 7 matches. Hardly a month ago this question would have come to anyone’s mind but now it is on every tongue – will Team India be able to win this series?
Obviously, Shreyas Iyer and his team will have to answer this with their performance on the field itself. This series is also very important for them because not only the honor of Team India is now at stake, but there is a danger of it falling further down in the T20 rankings. After losing the T20 series against England 0-4, the Indian team had slipped from the number-1 ranking after almost 3 years and England had reached the top.
In such a situation, Team India will also have to achieve its number one ranking through this series. For this, the Indian team just needs to win the series. Whether they win 1-0, 2-0, 3-0 or 2-1. It is important to win more than the margin of victory. If this happens then the Indian team will again become the number-1 team. At present India and England have equal 268 points.
It is also important for Team India to achieve the top rank because only on the basis of this, Team India will be able to get direct entry for the cricket event of Los Angeles Olympics 2028. If the ranking of the Indian team falls and on the other hand the rank of any of Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan or Bangladesh is better than the Indian team, then qualification will become difficult.
